HAMMOND, La. (AP) - The former mayor of a Louisiana town has been indicted for one count of malfeasance in office.
The Daily Star reports a Tangipahoa Parish grand jury indicted former Independence Mayor Michael Ragusa on Monday. District Attorney Scott M. Perrilloux says the charges stem from allegations related to Ragusa’s failure to pay into the state retirement system.
Ragusa left the town with a $900,000 debt after refusing to pay the town’s retirement share for its employees.
Ragusa served as mayor from 2008 to 2016.
In an interview with WVUE-TV , Ragusa says he told his administration to continue doing what the previous administration had been doing.
Before Ragusa took office, Independence paid retirement for 11 to 13 employees. When Ragusa took office, that number declined in 2014 and 2015 to zero.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.